Loading machine



tl0, 944 J. D. RUSSELL.

LOADING- MACHINE Original Filed July 5, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet l 'NVENTOR Mwww cfm, l@ lff- J. DQ RUSSELL.

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J: IBJVENT M www J. LOADING MACHINE @riginal Filed July 5,

INVENTOR Original Filed Jul-J Patented Oct. 10,-1944 2,360,282 n LoAmNGMACHINE John D. Russell, Sugarcreek Township, Venango County, Pa.,assignor to Joy Manufacturing Company, a corporation of PennsylvaniaContinuation of application Serial No. 282,582,`- July 3, 1939. Thisapplication March- 15, 1941,

Serial No. 383,527

s claims. (ci. 19a-1o) This invention relates to machines for loadinglump and broken material in a loose or semisolid condition, and inparticular to improvements in the drive mechanisms employed Xin mobileloading machines of the .type used to gather coal at the working face ofan underground mine, and to deliver the coal so gathered into mine carsor onto conveyors or other suitable transporting devices which move thecoa'lto the surface, and is a continuation of my cci-pending applicationSerial No. 282,582, filed July 3, 1939.

'Ihe principal object of this invention is to provide a mobile loadingmachine, having an improved drive mechanism whereby it is capable ofbeing advanced continuously at a relatively slow speed during theloading operation, and of being moved lfrom one working place to anotherat a relatively high tramming speed, during non'- loading periods. 1

Another object is to provide a mobile loading machine, having-an endlessloading conveyor and a gathering mechanism for moving the material to beloaded onto the conveyor, in which the conveyor and the gathering meansare independently operated or driven, whereby the conveyor willcontinueto operate and carry away the material thereon, although thegathering mechanism may be overloaded and stalled as a result of a fallof coal thereon, and thus materiallyincrease the output of the machine.y

Further, with this improvement, the operator is able by intermittentlyoperating the conveyor while continuously operating the gatheringmechanism, to fully load the conveyor during the interval occasioned bythe changing of mine vcars or other transporting devices back of theloader, and thus have a large quantity of coal ready for delivery assoon as an empty car has been placed in ai position to receive the same.Also my invention permits thel operator to clean up the ioor of the roomwhere there may be small quantities ofA scattered coal vat the end of-the loading operation without the need of waiting for a, car to bespotted back of1 the loader.A

Anotheradvantage of such independent drives resides in the tact that thegatherlngmechanism andthe conveyor/may each be driven .with the optimumdriving force or requirements, and since the driving force required todrive the conveyor is substantially lessthan the, driving force'l re--quired 'to secure a digging action of the gathering a mechanism, itis'obvious that breakage of the conveyordue to coal becoming wedgedbetween the conveyor'and the roof loi the mine is materially reduced andminimized in aloader equipped with my invention over that encountered inloaders where the conveyor and gathering mechanism are both driven bythe same motivating force and no means are provided which-permitindependent opera'tion thereof.

A still further object is toprovide a mobile loader having an endlessconveyor extending throughout its length and a gathering mechanism fordelivering coal onto the conveyor in which two independent motorsmechanically interconnected are employed for driving the gather- 'ingmechanism and the traction wheels of the loader, and a separate motor isemployed for driving the conveyor, and in which a mechanism isinterposed between each.traction wheel and its respective driving motor,whereby a positive slow speed drive is obtained during the loading .y

operation and a high speed drive is obtained for trammlng the machinefrom one working place to another.

. A stillfurther'v object is to provide a self-propelled wheeled loadingmachine having a conveyor frame, and a gathering mechanism pivotallysupported lon a common axis, which are capable of being turned abouttheir common pivot and in which means are provided for raising theconveyor frame relative to a portion of its sup- Aporting wheels.

These and other objects which twill hereinafterl be made apparent tothose slrilled in this particular art, are accomplished by means of thisinvention, one embodiment of which is described in the followingspecification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

CEig. 1 is a top plan view of a loading machin made in accordance withmyinvention, having a portion thereof cut away for convenience of 1illustration;

, Fig. 1, and showing the drive for the conveyor:

Fig. 2a is a transverse section through the body 'of the-loader showingthewiieel mounting and steering device;

l".wlieel mountingA device having a portion of the Fig. 2b is asction'through the axle di the cylinder broken away for convenience. ofillustration;

`Fig; 3 is an enlarged lsectional view-tak'enon line III-111 of Fig. 2illustrating the steering Jmechanism and the driveforathe conveyor ofthe loader:

Fig. 4 is an enlarged' sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 3:

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan viewof the gathering l head Hof' the loader,having a portion thereof broken away to show the drive for the traction,wheels and gathering arms; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line VI-VI of Fig. 5.

In the drawings I have shown a loader embodying my invention adaptedparticularly for loading coal from the iioor of a mine chamber into minecars,-or other suitable coal receiving recep tacles for. transportationfrom the working face to suitable coal discharging tipple or station.

As illustrated, my improved loader In comprises a frame or body ofsubstantially box-like construction, having a forward section and a rearsection joined or articulated together on a `ver tical axis IIa topermit lateral swinging movement of the rear section. The forward end ofthe 'frame II is supported on a transversely extending mechanism for theloader and comprises an axle I5a for receiving the wheel I4, projectingoutwardly from a cast member |51) having a collar |5c at its upper endwhich is adapted to slide on a vertically disposed shaft |5d. Shaft |5dis mounted between the top and bottom legs I 5e-I5f, respectively, of asubstantially U shaped bracket I45g having its base secured to the sidewall of the frame II.

' The lower end of the cast member |5b is curved inwardly toward thesides of the frame I I and is connected to the lower end of a hollowpiston rod |5h operating in a vertically disposed cylinder I5k, thebottom of which is secured to a plate I51 extending underneath thebottom leg |5f of the bracket I5y and pivoted on the bottom of the shaft|5d. The top of the cylinder |5k is closed by and `secured to a plateI5m extending over the top of the upper leg I5e of the bracket |5g andpivoted on the top of the shaft |5d.

In order to turn the wheels I4, each bottom plate I51 is provided with aportion |5n extending ,beyond the shaft |5d. A rod |50 connects the Vanydesired direction and the loaderguided to any desired location. l

The cylinder |51: is of the singleactng type and by admittiri'gfnuidunder pressure to the top of the cylinder above the upper end of thepiston rod |5h, it is seen that the frame |I will be elevated relativeto the wheels I4 (which restl on the ground) and the' frame I| willtherefor be swung in a, vertical plane about the axle I2 thus which ispivotally mounted thereon for movement in a vertical plane, andappropriate hydraulic jacks I1 are interposed between the bottom of thehead and the forward end of the frame II for raising and lowering thehead as desired.

The central portion of the head I6 is longitudinally depressed toprovide a conveyor pan section I8 therein registering with and openinginto a conveyor pan section I9 of substantially channel shape in sectionwhich forms the upper deck of the frame I I. Material is carried throughthe pan sections |8-|9 by an endless chain 20 having nights 2|. securedthereto at intervals along its length. At the forward end of the loaderthe chain 20 passes around a guide sprocket -on a cross shaft 22journaled in the head I5, and

at the rear end of the loader around a suitable idlersprocket and shaft(not shown) mounted in the side walls of the frame II. The return reachof the chain 20 is supported on the lower deck 24 of the frame I I.

In order to drive the chain 20 the return reach thereof is constantlymaintained in engagement with a drive sprocket 25 carried by atransversely extending drive shaft 26 journaled in the side walls of theframe l Drive shaft 26 has a gear -21 splined on one end thereof, whichis driven 'by a pinion 28, carried by a gear 29, mounted on a stub shaft30. Gear 29 in turn meshes with a pinion 3| secured to a relativelyshort shaft 32, having a clutch element 33 slidably mounted thereon formovement into and out of engagement with a clutch element 34 secured toa drive shaft 35 whereby when the clutch elements.

33--34 are engaged, shaft 32 will be driven from the shaft 35. Shaft 35is driven through a worm gear 36 securedthereto which meshes with Iaworm 31 on the drive shaft 38` of a suitable electric motor 39. Shaft 35also drives a pump 40.

In order to maintain the chain 20 in constant engagement with thesprocket 25, an idler chain engaging roller` 4I--42 is provided on eachside of the sprocket 25 to hold the chain against the sprocket. Rollers4|-42 are mounted on transverse shafts 43-44 journaled in the frame II.

Coalis delivered to the conveyor pan section I8 by a pair of gatheringarms 50 mounted on the forward end of the gathering head I6, andarranged to travel in a non-circular orbital path. substantially asshown and described in U. S.

. Letters Patent No'. 1,306,064, granted to Joseph varying the elevationof the discharge end o f the loader. A

In order to absorb road shock during the tramming of the loader, acompression spring |5t is F. Joy.

The gathering arms 50 are mounted on crank arms 5`| journaled in thehead I6 on opposite sides of the conveyor pan section I8, and thegathering arms are caused to travel in the desired path by links 52pivoted to the arms 50 and to thehead I6. Each crank arm 5I has a spiralgear 53 secured thereto inside the head I6 which meshes with a spiralpinion 54 on a cross shaft 55, journaled in the head and mechanicallyinter-connecting the arms 50.

In order to rotate the gathering arms 50 with the optimum driving force,and at the same time to slowly advance the machine during the loadingoperation, a pair of reversible electric motors 50 are mounted on theframe II, one on each side thereof, for selectively driving the drivewheels I3 and the shaft 55, or f or driving both the wheels I3 and theshaft 55 at one and the same time. Each motor 6o has a pinion 6l,secured to the armature shaft thereof, which meshes with a gear 62carried by a shaft 63 extending longitudinally of and journaled in agearbox 64. Shaft 63 has'a worm 66 thereon which meshes with a worm gear66 carried by a clutch element 61 from that in which it was rotated whneconnected to the clutch element 61, and, as a result, the

loosely mounted on a cross shaft 68, which is j journaled in the gearcase 64 and forms Vthe drive shaft for the wheels I3. To drive thewheels I3, a sprocket 69 is secured to the end of the shaft 68 whichdrives a chain 10 passing around a sprocket 1I carried by the hub of thewheel I3.

The ,shaft 63 also has a bevel pinion 12 secured thereto which mesheswith a bevel gear 13 carried by a clutch element -14 loosely mounted on'a cross shaft 15 journaled in the gear box 6,4. The shaft 15 is gearedto the shaftv 56 through the cooperating gears 16--11 secured to theshafts `1655, respectively. Clutch element 14 is connected by a sprocketchain 1B with a clutch element 19, which is loosely mounted on the shaft68.

In order to connect the clutch element 14 with the shaft 1s, and drivethe gathering arms 5o through the train of gears above described, a

'clutch/element 80 is splined to the shaft 15 and A11 cf the ciutches61-14-19 arepreferamy of the spring loaded type so that they can be setto transmit the optimum driving forcefand will slip as soon as thedriving arms are overloaded and thus prevent breakage of the machine.

'From the foregoing description it is apparent that when the motors 60are energized the clutch elements 61-14 will be Ycontinuously driven inloader will be backed from underneath the coal at a relatively hightramming speed. As soon as'the arms 50 have been freed, and the overloadremoved, the clutch element 82 is again moved into 'engagement with theclutch 61 to slowly readvance the machine into the coal to lbe loaded.

Since the motors 60 are reversible, it is apparent that the machine canbe readily moved in either direction at a high speed or at a low speed.For example, if the machine is being driven forward at a slow loadingspeed and the clutch 62 is operated to back the machineaway from theworking face at a high speed, the machine can be readily driven forwardat a high speed by simply reversing the motors 60 and leaving the clutch'82 in engagement with the clutch element 19.

During the tramming ofthe machine the clutch member 80 may-or may not bethrown out of eligagement with the clutch 14. However, in order tosecure the greatestdegree of safety it is pre- 33 is shown with anoperating collar for sliding the elements on their respective shafts, itis to be understood .that any type of mechanism may be used to throw theclutches out, as desired, without departing from my invention.

Power for driving the electric motors 3 9 and 60 is delivered to themachine from a suitable opposite directions and at different speeds,since one revolution of the shaft 63 will rotate the clutch element 61by only one or two teeth of the form gear 66, dependingv on whether theworm 65 is a single or double thread, but will rotate the clutch elementM through a distance equal to the periphery of the pinion 12,consequently the clutch element 1d will rotate at a considerably higherspeed than clutch element 61. At the same time clutch element 19, whichis driven from the clutch element 14 through the sprocket chain 18, willrotateat substantially the same speed as the clutch element 14 and inthe same directionc as that clutch element but oppositely to the clutchelement 61.

When the machine is in loading position. the operator throws the clutchelement 80 into engagement with the clutch element 14 to operativelyconnect the shaft15 with the shaft 55 and drive the gatheringv arms 50.To advance the source of supply through a suitable cable, which isadapted to be wound on an automatic spool reel |00 mounted on a verticalaxis within the frame Il and below the bottom deck 24 thereof. The cableis connected to the motors in the usual manner and the spooling deviceis so driven that when the 'machine is driven away from the source ofpower the 'cable is played out, and when it is moved toward the sourceof power, the cable is automatically wound up or reeled in.

the arms, when operating to gather coal, are mechanically interconnectedthrough the shaft 55, and the wheels I3 are positively driven at a relattively slow Speed vto continuously advance the loader. Whenthe machineis tramming, howu ever, that is moving from one working place to loadercontinuously during the loadingoperation -v and thus keep the head I6against the coal, the

clutch element 82 is moved into engagement with the clutch element -61whereby the wheels I3 are positively driven forward` at a relativelyslow speed toryfeed the machine forward. Should the gathering armsbecome overloaded or stalled during the loading operation as the resultof a falllof coal over the front end of 'the machine, the

clutch82 is disengaged -by the operator from the;

clutch element 61, which stops the advance of the machine, and is-throwninto engagement with the clutchelement 19, which is rotating at a higherperipheral speed and in the'opposite-direction from that of .the clutchelement 61. As

the clutch element 82 engages the clutch 19, the

shaft 6 ,8 will be rotated in the reverse direction another inthe minechamber, the vclutch members 'M -80 may be disengaged, which not onlythrows the gathering arms 50 and the drive shaft 55 out of operation,but also removes the :ne-

chanical connection between the motors, and, as

a result, the full powerfeach motor is delivered directly to thetraction wheel I3 driven therefrom,

. whereby positive traction is obtained on each wheel, and spinning ofone wheel relative to the other is eliminated even though the machinemay be traveling over uneven and rough surfaces.A

.be operated with the optimum power requirements, and the gathering armclutches can be so-set that the gathering' arms will develop sumcientpower to dig coal standing in a semi-solid y condition withoutsubjecting the conveyor'to any i Y undue strain, which might result inbreakage of falling thereon to the discharge end of the loader,

whereas in the machines now in general use, the stalling of thegathering mechanism/ also stops the operation of the conveyor since bothare driven from the same drive shaft.

Jacks I1, cylinders l5k and |5s are all hydraulically operated withfluid supplied from the pump 40, and the usual piping having controlvalves therein (which form no part of the present invention) employed tocontrolthe delivery of actuating iiuid from the pump to each of theaforesaid cylinders. Each of the clutch elements 33, 80 and 82 maylikewise be moved back and forth Y on their respective shafts 32, and 68by hydraulic pressure, in 'which event suitable jacks or cylinders areprovided having their piston rods attached to the actuating collars ofthe slidable clutch elements in the usual manner.

While I have described one embodiment of my invention, it is apparentthat I am not limited to the exact details shown, but 4that certainchanges, modifications, substitutions or omissions may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of theappended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Mechanism for driving the traction wheels and gathering devices of amobile loader comprising a drive shaft operatively connected to one ofsaid traction wheels, a pair of members loosely mounted on said shaft, adrive shaft operatively connected to said gathering devices, a clutchmember rotatably mounted on said last mentioned shaft, means connectingsaid clutch member with one of the members on said first mentioned driveshaft, means for driving said clutch member and the member on saidtraction wheel drive shaft connected thereto at a relatively high speed,means for driving the other of said members on said first mentioneddrive shaft in the opposite direction from said clutch member and at arelatively-slow speed, means for selectively connectof continuouslydriven by said motor, means for connecting said 'element of said singleacting clutch to a second element of said double acting clutch wherebysaid last mentioned element is continuously driven in a directionopposite to that of the other continuously driven member of said doubleacting clutch, means for selectively driving lsaid traction member fromeither driven member of said double acting clutch, and means forselectively driving said gathering device from the continuously drivenmember of such single acting clutch.

3. Mechanism for driving the traction members and gathering devices of amobile loader,

comprising a motor, a shaft driven by said motor, a drive shaftoperatively connected to one of said traction members, a clutch membermounted for rotation on said drive shaft and driven at a slow speed fromsaid motor shaft, a drive shaft operatively connected to said gatheringdevice, aclutch member mounted'for rotation on said last mentioned driveshaft and driven at a relatively high speed from said motor shaft, asecond clutch element mounted on the drive shaft of said tractionmember, means for driving said last mentioned clutch member fromtheclutch member on the in either direction and at different speeds, and

ing either of said first mentioned members to said traction wheel driveshaft, and means for connecting said clutch member to said gatheringdevice drive shaft to operate said gathering devices.

2. The combination in a coal loading machine having a frame providedwith an endless conveyor and a pair of gathering devices for `delivering'coal onto said conveyor, of traction members for supportingsaid frame, a separate motor for driving each traction member and one ofsaid gathering devices, a double acting clutch interposedl in the driveof each of said motors for controlling the operation of the tractionmember driven thereby, and having one element thereof continuouslydriven by said motor, a single acting clutch interposed in the drive ofsaid motor for controllingv the operation of the gathering device driventhereby and having one element theremeans for connecting the clutchmember on the drive shaftfor said gathering device to said shaft tooperate said gathering device.

4.A In a mobile loading machine a frame, traction members supportingsaid frame, a gathering head pivotally mounted on said frame and havingrotatable gathering devices thereon and means for driving said tractionmembers and said gathering devices, including a shaft journaled in saidhead for. driving said traction members, a shaft journaled in vsaid headfor driving said gathering devices, a pair of members loosely mounted onsaid traction drive shaft, means for selectively connecting either ofsaid members to said traction drivey shaft, a member loosely mounted onsaid gathering device drive shaft,

means for connecting said member to said gathering .device drive shaftand a motor for driving one of the members on said traction drive shaftand the member on said gathering device drive shaft in oppositedirections and at different speeds, the 'member on said gathering devicedrive shaft having a driving connection with the other of said memberson said traction drive shaft. 1

5. A mechanism for driving the traction mem- A bers and gathering deviceof a mobile loading machine comprising a shaft for driving said tractionmembers, a shaft for driving said gathering device, a plurality ofmembers loosely mounted on said traction drive shaft, means forselectively connecting either of said members to said traction driveshaft, a member loosely mountedon said gathering device-drive shaft,means for connecting said member to said .gathering device drive shaftand means for driving one of the members on said traction drive shaftand the memberon said gathering head drive shaft in .opposite directionsand at different. speeds, the member on said gathering device driveshaft having a driving connection with the other of said members on saidtractionl drive shaft.

.6. A mechanism for driving the traction members and gathering device ofa, mobile loader comprising a shaft for driving said traction members, afoot shafttor driving said gathering devi, an intermediate shaftconnected t said foot shaft, a plurality of members loosely mounted onseid drive shaft, a member loosely `mounted on said intermediate shaft,means for driving one of said members on said drive shaft and the memberon said intermediate shaft in opDOsite 10 4the members on said driveshaft to drive said traction members` and means for connecting the omember on said intermediate shaft to drive said foot shaft and gatheringdevices. A

JOHN n. RUSSELL.

